Effect of Cold Atmospheric Plasma on Changing of Biomolecular Structures Involved in Apoptosis Pathways of Melanoma Cancer

Q: What was the purpose of evaluating cold atmospheric plasma in this study?

To determine how cold atmospheric plasma affects malignant melanoma cells and whether it alters biomolecular structures involved in apoptosis pathways.

Q: How were cytotoxicity and apoptosis changes measured?

Cytotoxicity was assessed using the MTT method and inverted microscopy, while apoptosis induction was evaluated with fluorescence microscopy.

Q: Which biomolecular and gene-expression markers changed after CAP treatment?

FTIR indicated changes in biomacromolecule structures, qPCR showed increased BAX and Caspase-3 (CASP-3), and decreased BCL-2 expression.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a non-thermal ionized gas technology explored for cancer therapy. This study evaluated CAP effects on the malignant melanoma cell line B16 in comparison with normal L929 cells. Cytotoxicity was assessed by MTT and inverted microscopy. Apoptosis induction was examined by fluorescence microscopy. FTIR analyzed structural changes in biomacromolecules, while qPCR quantified BAX, BCL-2, and Caspase-3 gene expression. CAP showed stronger cytotoxicity on B16 than on L929, with apoptotic morphology, CAP-associated biomolecular structural changes, increased BAX and CASP-3, and decreased BCL-2.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Introduction

Materials and Methods

Cell culture

DOI: 10.1111/srt.13544 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Effect of cold atmospheric plasma on changing of biomolecular structures involved in apoptosis pathways of melanoma cancer Zahra Yazdani1, 2 Marzieh Sharifi Pasandi1 Monireh Golpour1, 2 Mina Eslami1 Alireza Rafiei1 1 Department of Immunology, Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran 2Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran Correspondence Alireza Rafiei, Department of Immunology, Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. Email: [rafiei1710@gmail.com](rafiei1710@gmail.com) Funding information Research and Technology Deputy of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Grant/Award Number: 853 Abstract Background: Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), is a technology based on non-thermal ionized gas that is used for cancer therapy in research. We evaluated the effect of CAPon malignant melanoma cancer cell line (B16) in comparison with normal cells (L929). Methods: The effect of CAP on the cytotoxicity of B16 and L929 cell lines was assayed by the MTT method and inverted microscopy. The induction of apoptosis in cells was evaluated using a fluorescence microscope. FTIR monitored the CAP effect in biomacromolecules changes in these cell lines. QPCR assayed gene expression of BAX, BCL-2, and Caspase-3 (CASP-3). Results: The results of the MTT test showed CAP has a cytotoxic effect on the B16 cancer cell line more than L929 normal cells (p < 0.0001). The results of invert and fluorescence microscopy showed CAP-induced apoptotic morphology on cancerous cells. FTIR spectroscopy indicated CAP changes biomacromolecules structure. Evaluation of gene expression showed CAP increased BAX and CASP-3 gene expression. Also, it decreased BCL-2 gene expression. Conclusions: Taken together, CAP may change biomacromolecule structures involved in apoptosis pathways, decrease proliferation and induce apoptosis in cancer cells. KEYWORDS cold atmospheric plasma, cytotoxicity, FTIR spectroscopy, melanoma cancer 1 INTRODUCTION Cutaneous melanoma represents one of the most lethal forms of skin cancer and shows a highly metastatic phenotype. According to epidemiological studies, Melanoma is the 19th most common cancer worldwide, with estimated age-standardized incidence rates of 2.8−3. 1 per 100,000.1 Despite diagnosing melanoma in early-stage, often progression of melanoma could be increased up to stage IV with no prognostic assignment.2 As long as surgery, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy have been used in melanoma treatment. These treatments have rarely been successful, because melanoma is tolerated against many trial approaches. On the other view, the extensive cost, many side effects and not being selectiveness these trial options, it has been tried to find novel efficient methods with faster improvement potential than conventional clinical approaches.2 Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a non-thermal ionized gas type such as argon, nitrogen, and helium, which is created from flowing the electric charge with high voltage through the gas medium tube resulting in components production including electrons, ions, This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made. © 2023 The Authors Skin Res Technol. 2024;30:e13544. [https://doi.org/10.1111/srt.13544](https://doi.org/10.1111/srt.13544) wi[leyonlinelibrary.com/journal/srt](leyonlinelibrary.com/journal/srt) 1of7 2of7 YAZDANI ET AL. reactive oxygen species (ROS), hydroxyl radicals (HO), reactive nitrogen radicals (RNS), and hydrogen peroxide.3,4 CAP has b

FAQs

What was the purpose of evaluating cold atmospheric plasma in this study?

To determine how cold atmospheric plasma affects malignant melanoma cells and whether it alters biomolecular structures involved in apoptosis pathways.

How were cytotoxicity and apoptosis changes measured?

Cytotoxicity was assessed using the MTT method and inverted microscopy, while apoptosis induction was evaluated with fluorescence microscopy.

Which biomolecular and gene-expression markers changed after CAP treatment?

FTIR indicated changes in biomacromolecule structures, qPCR showed increased BAX and Caspase-3 (CASP-3), and decreased BCL-2 expression.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven